He notes that teaching skills began to receive more weight during the 1971 to 1991 administration of former President Derek C. Bok.

Assistant Dean for Academic Planning and Equal Employment Officer Joseph J. McCarthy says that the trend has continued during the last four years, under the direction of President Neil L. Rudenstine and Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles.

"Historically, [the tenure process] was very much weighted toward scholarship," McCarthy says. "The ad hoc process as it's set up brings in a number of outside experts. They are not able to talk about a person's teaching."

"It isn't completely level, but there's much more emphasis on good teaching...now than there has been in the past," he adds.

The teaching evaluation that is included in a tenure candidate's dossier is more extensive than in the past.

Buell, who is described by some as a "hawk" on teaching during the tenure process, says that he is not the only advocate for good instructors.

"I see myself as having been asked to serve as a pedagogical conscience," Buell says. "But I'm not the only member of academic deans that feels committed to the importance of teaching or ventures remarks about that part of the dossier."

"In every one of the approximately half dozen of the ad hoc meetings in which I've been involved, the subject of teaching has come up," he adds.

As a general rule, administrators say they do not tenure those who neglect research for teaching or vice-versa.

"Superb teaching is not alone enough for tenure in a major research university," Knowles says. "Stellar scholarship is not alone enough."

"Happily, superb scholarship and uplifting teaching often go hand and hand. The person who is creative and imaginative and inspiring in scholarly terms is often infectious in teaching concerns," he adds.

Buell also stresses the complementary nature of research and teaching.

"I want to see Harvard hire...as many people that exhibit that symbiosis as possible," Buell says. "I think there are many more [at Harvard] than one thinks about."

Demystifying the Process

FAS administrators pride themselves on the quality of Harvard's faculty and often credit the rigorous and thorough tenure system with assembling this group of scholars.

"We are looking always for the leading person," says Carol J. Thompson, associate dean for academic affairs. "You might say we are more risk-averse than some institutions."